Back in the Saddle: An Immortal Spacemonkey Story
by Shannon K
Summary: This falls within my Immortal Spacemonkey universe. Daniel the Immortal is back from Abydos and has to re-enter the Game. An old, sort of, friend and an enemy show up unexpectedly and throws a monkey wrench into his time re-acclimating to Earth and his into his life as an Immortal. Rated T for a couple of situations and potty language.
1. Chapter 1

Back in the Saddle: An Immortal Spacemonkey Story

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for a while, but they might end up a bit scuffed.

A/N: This story fits into my Immortal Spacemonkey universe. There are some references that refer to things that happened five thousand years before which is understandable if you have read already Moebius: An Immortal Spacemonkey story. This story involves life for Daniel when he came back from Abydos and joined SG1. It falls within the first season of SG-1.

Also, the events of Highlander the Movie didn't happen. The Gathering didn't happen and neither did the shitty movies that followed the first movie.

I hope you enjoy it and as always, feel free to drop me a review, even if you don't like the story. Constructive criticism is always welcome; flames are never welcome.

* * *

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

Chapter 1

He had been crashing in Jack's guest bedroom for the last few weeks, but Daniel figured it was time to find his own place. He needed his space and privacy. While Jack had been a wonderful host, he chafed at living under someone else's roof.

SG1 had been going on missions nonstop it seemed since he came back to Earth, but they had been granted a few days off and Daniel wanted to take full advantage of the downtime to establish his own home. While he believed that he would eventually find Sha're, anything else was unthinkable, he knew it would take time and he had to make a home on his planet of origin until his wife was freed from the Goa'uld that had taken her captive.

Daniel also knew that since he was back on Earth, he was going to be thrust back into the Game. He wanted a sense of privacy that he would not get from having Jack as a roommate. He wanted to be able to practice, go through long ingrained exercises and katas without anyone questioning what he was doing.

He also did not trust Jack enough with his secret. Yes, killing a god and leading an insurrection did tend to bridge divides, but this was so much bigger. He was worried that Jack would feel obligated to tell the military hierarchy about the existence of Immortals. Yes, General Hammond knew about Immortals, but he had known about them from long before Daniel had stepped through the Gate. Eventually, Daniel hoped, Jack would grow to be trusted with this big of a secret, but right now, that level of trust didn't exist.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

The next day, starting bright and early, Daniel made a couple of appointments to see some apartments in Colorado City and Colorado Springs itself. He liked the older vibe in Manitou Springs, but the places that were available to rent were extremely pricey for a formerly impoverished academic-recently returned extraterrestrial explorer. While money was not an issue for him, he knew he had a role to play as Dr. Daniel Jackson, not as Danil the Immortal.

Jack agreed to be Daniel's chauffer until he could get his own vehicle. Jack even offered to loan him some money, which was politely declined. He still had the money in the bank from his consulting fee, plus interest, from when they first opened the Stargate which would be more than enough to set up a home and purchase a sensible car.

The first place they went to was in Colorado Springs, not far from Fort Carson. It was a small two bedroom apartment on the first floor. The kitchen was tiny and the bathroom was even smaller. Two things made him immediately turn down the place was the bass thumping from the apartment above him and the inch long spiders that were on the floor, the walls, in the bathtub, and on the windows. There were spiders everywhere. Jack made a joke about how he wouldn't be surprised that there were spiders in the dishwasher. Daniel, against his better judgment, opened the door and spiders tumbled out of the appliance. The property manager screamed and ran out the door while Jack and Daniel also made a hasty retreat.

"Burn the place to the ground and don't look back," Jack told the lady firmly, once she finally quit screaming.

The fact that the place went up in flames two weeks later was a total coincidence, at least that is what Jack and Daniel told themselves.

The next place was in Old Colorado City. It was a single bedroom in a three story, converted warehouse building just off the main drag and not far from the city park. The rent was reasonable too. The place was fairly large and had high ceilings along with an in-unit washer and dryer, modern appliances, and was clean. The only odd thing about the place was that there was a piano in the main room.

"So, is the ability to play the piano a requirement to rent this place?" Jack asked the apartment manager while staring at the instrument.

The old man groaned; he had been asked many times about the piano. "No, but it does come with the place. Many years ago, tenant who lived here had the piano and when she died, not here, nobody could figure out how to get a baby grand out of the place without busting it up so it became a fixture of the place. We only ask that you limit your playing time between the hours of eight am and ten pm."

"Do you play Danny-boy?" Jack asked.

Daniel shrugged. "A bit. I had a foster parent at one point that was a music teacher and she taught me a little," he explained, remembering vague things that had happened over five thousand years in the past. He was actually pretty good, but then again he had centuries to practice. He didn't have the passion or the fire necessary to be considered excellent, but he definitely could do better than "Heart and Soul."

After going over the specifics: The rent, necessary deposits, and submitting his driver's license and basic information, Daniel agreed to take the place, including the piano.

Their next destination was a used car lot where Daniel managed to find himself a fairly decent Jeep Wrangler at a reasonable price, at least according to Jack and Kelly Blue Book.

"So what's next? You need to make a trip to Walmart for house stuff?" Jack asked after Daniel received the keys and title to the Jeep from the slimy used-car salesman. The guy looked like a rat dipped in oil.

"Eventually, but I need to make some calls to get my stuff out of storage," Daniel said, wanting to get his home set up as quickly as possible.

"You have stuff? Actual things? I thought you were pretty much homeless when Catherine found you in L.A.," Jack asked, slightly puzzled.

Daniel smiled. "I was, kind of. But my stuff was being stored in a locker in Chicago. I had some pretty valuable things that I wasn't about to have donated to the Goodwill when I got kicked out of my place," he easily explained.

"So," Daniel began, switching topics, "can I crash at your place for a couple more days until I at least get a bed and a few things together?"

"Sure, but you get to cook dinner tonight," Jack agreed.

Daniel fought to not roll his eyes. "Jack, I've been cooking every night since we got back. How about I order some Chinese instead? I have to make a few phone calls and then get the gas and electricity switched over to my name."

Jack readily agreed and drove back to his home. Daniel instead drove to a cheap Chinese restaurant that he remembered that Jack liked, or at least liked enough to have a carry-out menu stuck on his refrigerator.

While he was standing in line, waiting to order his food, he felt the familiar sensation of an Immortal's approach. It had been at least a year and a half to two years since he had felt another of his kind, but he knew immediately what it was. And damn it, here he was without a sword!

Carefully, he looked around, checking out all of the people in the small restaurant. Nothing.

Next, he checked the entrance and just outside the window, looking for someone that was also looking around.

Daniel spied someone standing outside of the building, a scruffy-looking man wearing a long tan coat that could easily conceal a sword. The man slowly turned, locking eyes with each other and the familiar pounding Daniel's head faded.

"What the hell," Daniel muttered, mentally searching for a name to attach to the face.

It suddenly came to him, the face and a name matched up perfectly in his mind.

Connor MacLeod of the clan MacLeod.

Fuck, fuck, and double fuck.

* * *

A/N: Well, what do you think? Good, bad, indifferent. Feel free to hit the shiny review button and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading my stuff. I do appreciate it.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for a while, but they might end up a bit scuffed.

* * *

Chapter 2

 _At least it isn't his annoying, younger clansmen_ , Daniel told himself. _If Duncan MacLeod suddenly shows up on my door, I might just take his head and save myself the trouble. That bastard brings nothing but misfortune and disaster anywhere he goes._

Daniel quickly made his order and paid for his food before stepping out of the restaurant to face the elder MacLeod.

"Mark Patrick," Connor MacLeod said, his gravelly voice ever the same.

Daniel laughed, though with caution; he didn't know why Connor happened to be in town. "I haven't gone by that name in years MacLeod. It's Daniel Jackson these days. Why are you here?"

Connor gave a half-hearted smirk. "I'm not after your head youngster, if that is what you are afraid of."

Daniel gave Connor a smirk of his own. _The man still believes my bullshit story about being a new Immortal. Obviously he hasn't spoken to his clansman about me._ "I wasn't overly worried," he replied. "What brings you to town?"

"Just passing through after seeing my kinsman in Seacouver. Thought I would take in the sights, go skiing maybe," MacLeod said, his hand in his coat pockets, looking around him nervous-like.

"Colorado Springs isn't exactly a big skiing town and it is only early October and most of the places open in November or December," Daniel said, his eyes looking at the Scot with sharp eyes.

"Well," MacLeod began but Daniel cut him off.

"I don't really care what you are up to, as long it doesn't involve me," he said shortly, wishing that his food would arrive soon.

"Why would I do that? I wouldn't want to risk your head," MacLeod rumbled, laughing slightly.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Why would I want to involve myself in your insanity? I have my own problems and none of them involve you," he snarked at the Highlander. "I really should have listened to my horoscope this morning that said, beware of annoying Scotsmen and stayed in bed."

"Come on, you're too young to be this cynical. Maybe after you've been around for a couple of centuries then you can indulge in cynicism," Connor guffawed.

Daniel spent the next few seconds debating if it was worth it to just take the son of a bitch's head right then and there. Granted it would be messy, Connor was an exceptionally good guy and losing him would throw the Game out of balance in Daniel's opinion, out the existence of Immortals to everyone, and end any possibility of him getting his wife back, but it would wipe the condescending smile off the man's face. He really regretted sometimes letting other Immortals think that he was a newbie Immortal. This was one of those moments.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

It had been just a year after he had to leave Chicago when he got run over by an old man in a Buick. He decided to spend some time in New York before figuring out what he wanted to do next. It was a big enough city that one could easily remain anonymous while living among over seven million people.

The city had suffered from a gradual social and economic decay, not to mention that the Dodgers and Giants had both left for the West Coast in the previous decade. The sanitation workers' strike and poor air quality did not help relieve a general feeling of grime, depression, and squalor.

He found a small apartment in Greenwich Village, not too far from where the infamous Stonewall Riots would take place less than a year later. It was nice, but pretty basic. The roach population was kept down to a bare minimum thanks to phosphorus paste bait and DDT.

Daniel was coming back from the corner grocery store. He had a dinner date that night with a gal that lived down the hall from him and he wanted to impress her with his culinary skills. He promised Joanne a meal of Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs with herbed yogurt sauce, baked red lentil falafel salad, Mediterranean tri-tip steak, and diples for dessert.

It was early November, with enough chill in the air that his long coat which concealed his sword did not look out of place. Daniel felt the familiar weight of the weapon, thus he did not feel panicked when he felt the presence of another Immortal as he strode down the street.

He stopped in his tracks, ignoring the profanities offered by other pedestrians whom he blocked on the sidewalk, and looked around. He spied a man further down the sidewalk, also wearing a long coat, looking around for someone or something. Once they made eye contact, the pounding in his head subsiding.

Daniel was grateful that he normally kept a lid on the power of his Quickening, making him seem less powerful, less of a threat to his fellow Immortals. He didn't recognize the other Immortal, unsure if the man was a friend or a potential threat.

The other Immortal, slightly shorter than himself, had shaggy blond hair that fit the old jeans, a ratty t-shirt, and tennis shoes. He looked like a dirty hippie, but carried himself with a look of a predator.

The unknown Immortal stopped in front of Daniel, sizing him up. "I'm Connor MacLeod, who be ye?" he asked.

Danil did his best to not roll his eyes. "Mark Patrick," Daniel answered simply, scuffing the toe of his boot on the cement, doing his ever best to project the image of a young, inexperienced Immortal. His clothes, outside of his jacket, looked to be the typical wears of the current period: Jeans, black turtleneck, hiking boots, and a mid-length great coat. Everything was calculated to give the perception that he was young, that he lacked a high level of skill with a sword. "I don't want any problems man," he said, backing up slightly.

"I'm not here for your head youngster," Connor laughed. "Do you have a teacher?"

"Not anymore. He was defeated not too long ago. I've been pretty much on my own," Daniel said, making sure he looked slightly scared and unsure. His first teacher had been defeated and destroyed by Methos not too long ago, so it wasn't a complete lie. Granted the defeat involved destroying Dilijan's mind and landing him in a mental hospital to rot, but those kind of things happened. And it was kind of justifiable, nothing to cry over.

"Let me help you then," Connor offered.

"Um, no thank you. I have places I have to be," Daniel said, smiling tightly. "I'll be okay." While it was incredibly nice of MacLeod to offer to take someone under their wing just like that, it was the last thing he wanted or needed.

Thankfully he was close to his building and after thanking the Scot for the offer, Daniel disappeared into his building, putting an end to any further offers or remonstrations.

Dinner that night went well, Joanne loved the food; Daniel loved the company and what happened later that night.

The next morning, a lazy Saturday, Daniel lay in bed, playing with Joanne's long dark hair as she peacefully slept. He enjoyed the quiet. Nobody was bothering him to finish a translation, nobody was after his head, and nobody was knocking on his front door . . .

Just as he thought that one thought, he felt the presence of another Immortal right before someone knocked at his door.

 _Fuck_ , was his one thought and he silently wormed his way out of his bed, careful to not disturb Joanne and threw on a pair of sweat pants. Daniel took care to not make a sound as he picked up a sword, a Greek Hoplite off the wall from its holding brackets and closed the bedroom door.

While he had a pretty good idea as to who it was on the other side of the door, he still looked through the peak hole to make sure.

Daniel threw open the door to reveal Connor MacLeod standing at his doorway.

"Care to invite me in?" the Scotsman asked as he pushed on through, glancing at the sword in Daniel's hand.

"Not really," Daniel replied, sighing deeply. "This isn't a good time."

"You need to learn how to survive, young one" Connor declared as he looked around Daniel's apartment, noting some of the antique pieces of art on the wall.

Daniel, keeping a grip on his sword, pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a migraine start to develop. "I'll be fine. I don't need your help," he said.

"You say that now, but what happens when someone older comes after your head? Someone with more experience?" Connor pushed.

Daniel did his best to not laugh. There weren't too many other Immortals out there, save Methos, the other Horsemen, and Darius that were more experienced than him and Darius had taken a vow of non-violence and lived on Holy Ground. Maybe Rebecca too. She was good with a sword, but she wasn't interested in taking heads. He missed her. "Why do you want to teach me?"

"We met for a reason," Connor proclaimed, his Scottish burr more evident. "You are young and you need to learn to survive."

"Keep it down please," Daniel said, looking aggravated. "My friend doesn't need to hear this."

"Have you told him about your Immortality?" Connor asked, throwing himself on to Daniel's sofa in the small living room.

"What?" Daniel yelped. "Why does everyone always think I'm gay? I'm not gay! My friend, Joanne, is in my bedroom."

"Oh, well," Connor hedged, looking for the right words to apologize with.

"Look, if I agree to let you teach me, will you get out of here?" Daniel hissed, fighting the urge to strangle the man sitting on his furniture.

Connor smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Good. You won't regret it. Meet me here this afternoon," he said and wrote an address on a scrap of paper that was sitting on Daniel's coffee table.

"Fine. Go," Daniel ground out.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

That afternoon, Daniel found himself outside of a warehouse in Brooklyn. The place was a dump, and in Daniel's opinion, all it would take is a small Quickening to level the place to the ground. He also contemplated buying the property, knowing that in a couple of decades the value of the land in the area would skyrocket. Maybe it was insider trading, but it didn't change the fact that change was a coming for New York City.

Daniel walked into the dilapidated building, clearly sensing MacLeod's Quickening. "Hello?"

"Ah! The youngster has arrived," Connor announced loudly from an upper level as Danil walked into the open area. It had been a building for storing cotton years ago, back when the Civil War. Now it was just another empty building that time and the elements were trying to destroy.

"What do you want Highlander? I have places to go, people to see," Daniel snarked.

"Let's see how good you are," Connor suggested as he brought out his sword, a katana, and came down the rickety metal stairs. His tone was lighter, still gravely though, and he did not have the look of someone determined to kill someone.

Daniel did some checking with a friend who was in the Watchers, finding out more about Connor MacLeod. According to his files, he wasn't crazy, well, crazier than most Immortals. Also, he wasn't the type to take out new Immortals and had a tendency to want to take in youngsters that need guidance. He wasn't a bad guy.

At the very least, this would be an interesting afternoon.

Daniel and Connor spent the remainder of the afternoon and into the early evening training. Connor was attempting to teach him some finer techniques of sword fighting and Daniel was doing his best to play the good student. While most of what Connor was telling him was old hat to him, it didn't hurt, he reasoned, to practice, especially against someone who was fairly skilled. Having someone to practice against beat going through forms and katas on your own.

By the end of their session, Daniel found himself actually enjoying himself and working up quite the sweat. It was a good feeling. Connor pushed him physically, giving him a challenge that he couldn't get from too many other people.

"You're not too bad for someone so young," Connor said approvingly. Daniel had to fight to keep a smirk off his face. "We should meet again and practice some more."

"It will have to be later next week. I have work and I promised Joanne that we would go see that movie that is coming out this week, Good-bye Mr. Chips," Daniel said, surprising himself that he would actually agree to something like this. For the most part, he liked being left alone, but it was interesting to work with Connor and at least he wasn't like his annoying, self-righteous, younger clansman.

"Good," Connor nodded, a smile on his face. "How about next Saturday? Same time and place?"

Danil also nodded. "See you then," he said and picked up his coat, slipping his sword among the folds, making it disappear as if by magic. He quickly left, but was looking forward to their next session.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

Over the next few weeks, then months, Daniel and Connor would meet in the same warehouse and spar. While Daniel didn't pick up on any new techniques, he could tell that over all his swordsmanship improved, he felt sharper, more ready for any potential fights.

"You ever think about what the future holds for you?" Connor asked Daniel one day while taking a break.

"You mean like what I want to be when I grow up or when will they invent flying cars?" Daniel asked, being slightly snarky. He knew, for the most part, what would eventually come and his goal was to join the SGC to be with his friends. That was the future he wanted. Many of the day to day details from his first time around were hazy or even non-existent, but he knew what his end goal would be. He didn't remember flying cars, though he kept wanting to say _flux capacitor_ for some reason when he thought about flying cars.

"We are here, unchanging, while the world around us changes but we have to change with the times so as to blend in. What do you want your future to become?" Connor asked.

.

Daniel leaned up against a discarded table. "I see myself getting a PhD, maybe three, eventually. Studying, learning new things, having some very interesting times. I also predict that they will someday come out with more flavors of cranberry. I'm personally looking forward to the day cran-raspberry is invented. Don't know about flying cars though."

Connor blinked.

"Look, I prefer to take each day as they come. We don't know how long we will be here, same as mortals. I just want to learn, grow stronger, and see the next sunrise," Daniel said, this time not flippant.

"For a young one, you are pretty wise," Connor said, laughing slightly. "Up for another round?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "You have no idea and sure."

This went on for a few more weeks, up until moments before the Stonewall riots started. Daniel/Mark had been challenged by some unknown Immortal while he and MacLeod had been looking at a Napoleon III French Ormolu Bronze Opaline Clock made for the Turkish/Ottoman market from around 1860 in Nash's Antiquities.

"Are you sure it is real?" Daniel asked. He didn't know the ins and outs of antiquities and fine art. He had friends that knew that kind of stuff, but he never cared about the details. If it was less than at least three thousand years old it didn't matter to him. Pyramids, ancient dead languages, lost tombs were what mattered; not showy clocks that once decorated a table in a palace.

"Of course it's real. Look at the base, you can clearly see the artist's initials and his stamp in on the bottom," Connor said, carefully turning the overly ornate clock in his hands, showing his proof of antiquity.

"How much did you pay for it?" Daniel asked, slightly repulsed at how gaudy it was.

Connor shrugged. "Less than two thousand. It was a bargain. Plus I have a couple of clients who would be interested in it and pay much more. They lack good taste, but they are willing to listen to someone who does."

"And waste their money apparently," Daniel said. He was going to say something else but was interrupted by the arrival of another Immortal.

"Mark Patrick," the other Immortal voice boomed. "I challenge you."

Daniel looked at the guy with no small amount of amusement. "Overly-dramatic don't you think? Why?"

The unknown Immortal, tall and beefy, looking like he had been a Viking in a previous life, though considering that he was an Immortal, him being a former Viking was very possible. He had long blond hair, crazy blue eyes, and looked slightly insane. The fact that he was carrying a Viking age, doubled edged sword showed that he was serious.

"So, are you the jackass that has been hounding me for the past two weeks?" Daniel asked, slightly bored. He had sensed someone following him that wasn't a Watcher. Whoever it was always managed to stay just out of eyesight, but close enough to trigger his Immortal warning system. It was annoying. "Why do you want to fight me?"

"The Game calls us all and I call you out. I will have your Quickening."

Daniel started laughing. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Mark, take this serious. He has challenged you," Connor rumbled, worried about his quasi-student.

"Fine," Daniel said, rolling his eyes. "Let's get this over." He grabbed his coat and stomped out of the antiques shop, forcing the unknown Immortal to follow, least he lose his prey.

Daniel led the man to the empty derelict warehouse where he and Connor had been practicing. Connor followed at a discrete distance, his concern for his "student" forcing him to bear witness to the battle between the Immortals. He silently swore that he would do his best to avenge Mark, should he fall.

The two Immortals battled back and forth. The stranger, who never bothered to introduce himself, relied on brute strength while Daniel used his quickness and form to his advantage. There was no way Daniel was able to match the other guy's power; the other guy had at least six inches on him and nearly one hundred pounds.

Daniel did his best to deflect the blows that kept raining down from above. He kept getting shoved back, always on the defensive, the other Immortal was doing his damnedest to try and knock Daniel off his feet.

Always mindful of his surroundings, Daniel knew he was getting pushed back towards a support post, but there wasn't much he could do to stop it. Instead of fighting it, he allowed himself to be shoved into the post and used it as a brace for himself as he lashed out with a sharp kick to his opponent's knee, causing this opponent to crumble slightly, and followed it up with an elbow to the man's throat breaking his larynx. They were old moves, but good ones.

The Immortal gasped, a hand going to his throat, desperately trying to breathe around his broken windpipe. The one hand that was still on his sword still holding on to the weapon, but was frozen in shock, allowing Daniel to quickly disarm him. Literally.

Daniel, using as much power as he could put into the swing, chopped the man's arm off, just below the elbow.

Daniel's opponent dropped to his knees, blood pouring out of the stump where his arm used to be, his eyes wide with surprise and shock. Mark Patrick was supposed to be an easy target, a relatively new Immortal with minimal skills. He was supposed to win this challenge!

Danil, no longer Mark Patrick or even Daniel, looked at his opponent coldly and spoke to the man in Old Norse, "I am Hades, the friend to the Four Horsemen. You should have stayed away. There can be only one and it won't be you." With that, Danil swung his sword, cleanly severing the loser's head from his body.

The Quickening storm that followed was fairly powerful. The Viking, Thorkell Anundsson, had been around for several centuries, collecting heads and lives. He had first died at the Battle of Edington and had been fighting ever since.

Daniel screamed as the energy entered his body. Every nerve was on fire. Pain filled his very being, yet was exhilarating and almost erotic. It was terrifying and arousing at the same time. Nothing could compare to receiving another's Quickening. Not food, not money, not power, not even sex could compare to the ultimate turn on that was experienced when another's strength, power, and knowledge poured into the victor's being.

He could see glimpses of Thorkell's life, see the misery he had inflicted on others. There was a sense of satisfaction knowing that he had ended that miserable bastard's life of terror.

All too soon, it ended, leaving Daniel gasping for air, feeling his raw throat from so much screaming heal itself, along with all of the bruises and cuts he had received during the battle between the Immortals. He didn't even have the strength to hold himself upright, instead just laid on the concrete floor, looking up at the severely cracked beam just above him.

"Come on Mark," Connor said, appearing suddenly, holding Daniel's discarded jacket. "We have to go." The Highlander hauled Daniel to his feet and dragged him clear of the building before the second floor gave way.

Once they were out of the building and safe from being crushed, the floor above crashed down, sending a billowing cloud of dust out of the battered windows and doorways.

Daniel pulled out of Connor's hold and sat down on the ground, exhausted. "He was going to go after you next, thinking you would be too distraught to put up a decent fight after your student was killed. I was just a way for him to get to you. You were his real target."

"What did you say to him before you beheaded him?"

A hard, cold look crossed Daniel's face. "I let him know exactly who I was."

Connor started to say something, but Daniel held up a hand to silence him.

"I don't need a teacher MacLeod. While I appreciate the chance to spar with a real partner, I haven't had a need of a protector in a long time," Daniel said tiredly. He would have said more, but was interrupted by near-by screams and the sounds of a riot taking place.

"I gotta go. I'll catch you later Connor. Be safe," Daniel said, rising to his feet, shrugging his jacket on, feeling slightly shaky, grateful that he still had his sword with him. He then disappeared down the street, vanishing in the crowds, using the Stonewall Riots as a cover for his escape.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

"What do you want Connor? Why are you here?" Daniel asked, exasperated. He really didn't have time for MacLeod's shenanigans. He had kept tabs on the elder Highlander over the years. While he wasn't as much as a hot mess as his younger kinsman was, trouble always seemed to follow him no matter where he went.

"I want nothing from you. I'm on my way back to New York and stopped in Colorado to speak to an antiques dealer that I've known for a while," he explained.

"And?" Daniel asked, twirling his index finger, knowing that there was more to this story. "Who's after you?" he then asked, shooting blindly in the dark. "I know you are more than capable of handling your own Immortal issues, so I know you aren't seeking me to solving your problems. But something is obviously up."

"Us running into each other is purely a coincidence," Connor promised. "I think we just have seriously bad luck."

"That is so very true," Daniel grumbled. "I apparently have the worst luck in the entire galaxy."

"I don't know her, but she goes by the name Cassandra," Connor said tiredly.

Fuck.

* * *

A/N: Well, what do you think? Good, bad, indifferent. Feel free to hit the shiny review button and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading my stuff. I do appreciate it.

Also, a big thank you to Everlovin for pointing out my geographic mistakes in chapter 1. They are fixed now thanks to you!

Thank you Lori for looking things over and your encouragement.

And about Daniel being thought of as being gay: I have nothing against anyone who is gay. Please don't think I am being a hater. Whatever you do with your life and as long as it doesn't harm anyone else, I don't care. I was referring more to the wedding scene in "200" where Jack (and himself) kind of alluded to the idea that Daniel could be thought of as being gay, which totally cracked me up and made me think of all of the Daniel/Jack 'shippers out there.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for a while, but they might end up a bit scuffed.

Chapter 3

* * *

"Okay MacLeod, I'm going to say this only once. I want nothing to do with Cassandra. That witch is crazy and psychotic. And if you and her have a problem with each other, I want nothing to do with any of it," Daniel hissed, pushing his floppy hair out of his eyes, wondering briefly if he should get it cut.

"You know her?" Connor asked.

"Yeah, I know her and she hates me. With good reason, but I don't care. I want nothing to do with any of this. I have too many other important things to worry about."

Just then, a worker from the restaurant came out with Daniel's food in a bag, much to his relief

Daniel, not wanting to be uncaring, for MacLeod had been incredibly kind to him all those years ago, turned back to the elder Highlander to offer some advice. "Don't let her use her _voice_ on you. She's a witch and has the power to manipulate you. Find out why she hates you. Did you do something to piss her off? Did someone close to you piss her off? She is really big into revenge. Check with your kinsman and see if he did something to piss her off," Daniel said, and then realized what he said.

"You know Duncan?" Connor asked, puzzled.

Daniel mentally smacked himself upside his head. He was about to say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of another Immortal.

"You!" came a throaty cry, full of hate and disgust.

Daniel turned to face the woman from his more disturbing past. "Hello Cassandra," he simply said, letting no emotion show on his face.

"Danil! You son of a bitch!" Cassandra spit at him, venom dripping from her tongue.

"So I've been told many times," Danil said coldly. "Why are you after Connor here? What did he do to you? Are you running low on people to blame for your life?"

Connor shot Daniel a confused look. He honestly thought Mark, no it was Daniel now, was only a few decades old and now the woman called him by an old name.

"I swore I would have my revenge on the Horsemen and was prevented from making Methos pay by Duncan MacLeod, therefore Duncan will pay for his foolishness for protecting that monster. And now here you are, Hades, friend of the Horsemen. You'll do for now," she nearly screamed then settled into trying to use her "voice," compelling Daniel to do her bidding.

Danil smiled slightly, focusing his thoughts on the memories of Sha're. He discovered, after running into a few other Immortals that could manipulate a person's will that they could be blocked by imagining something or one that was the most important figure in his life.

"It won't work on me Cassandra. Do you not think I would have learned anything over the years? Move on, quit living in the past. None of us are the same that we were back then, why can't you do the same? Instead, here you are, half crazed, bitching about things that can't be changed," Danil spoke, his words carefully metered out, lacking any sense of compassion or hatred. It was what it was.

"I was raped. I will never get over it," Cassandra nearly screamed and raked her nails across Danil's face, leaving scratches that quickly healed.

"I get that and for what it is worth, I am sorry you had to go through that, but I didn't rape you."

"You could have stopped them!" she insisted.

"How?" Danil asked. "Look, I really don't have the time to deal with this. Go get yourself a good therapist and get out of my life," Danil said, pushing his way past the woman. "Leave Connor out of this whole thing. You touch him, it will piss off Duncan and if he can take on Kronos, then he can take you. You want revenge, go live a good life. Show the memory of the Horsemen that they didn't destroy you."

With that, Danil left the two Immortals in his wake.

* * *

A/N: Well, what do you think? Good, bad, indifferent. Feel free to hit the shiny review button and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading my stuff. I do appreciate it.

Yes, I know this was short. Sorry.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for a while, but they might end up a bit scuffed

* * *

Chapter 4

Daniel drove back to Jack's house and gave him the food to dish out. He bought it, the least Jack could do is provide the dinnerware. Well, it was Jack, so he only got out two forks and a couple of beers.

Daniel declined the beer and got himself a glass of water. He didn't talk much, just ate his food and thought about Connor and Cassandra.

Jack was worried about Daniel and how quiet he was being. He tried to pull the archeologist out of his funk with the Simpsons and then a hockey game that was playing. It was a pre-season exhibition game that didn't count, but it was still hockey.

The next day, Daniel made his phone calls. He arranged for his stuff to be shipped to his new address. He also got the water, gas, and electricity turned on in his name.

Jack reminded him to also get his cable connected. Daniel did not think cable was something he truly needed. Jack insisted that it was and with his cable he could get his internet hooked up.

"No."

"Yes."

"No.

"Yes, Daniel. You need cable," Jack insisted.

"Why? I didn't watch a ton of television before we went to Abydos the first time. Why would I want to start up again?" Daniel asked.

Jack rolled his eyes at his younger friend. "What will I watch when I come over? The paint on your walls?"

"You could always read," Daniel suggested. "Can you read?" he joked.

Jack gave him a dirty look. "Yes I can read. I do have a college degree you know. Being able to read was one of the requirements in the Academy."

"Oh really?" Daniel snarked back. "You mean you didn't just go to a print shop and get them to make you a fake diploma?"

"I have a Master's degree too. Do you really think the Air Force would let me get this far without one?" Jack stated, looking slightly peeved.

Daniel, figuring that he had given Jack enough of a hard time, let it go. "Yes Jack, I know you have a MPA and your bachelor's degree is in Military Science. You are far from being dumb."

"Just don't tell anyone, okay? I have my reputation to think of," Jack said snootily. "But still, you need cable. There is always the History Channel and this one channel that is all about home repairs that is kind of addicting. Once you start watching, you can't stop. It is the crack of cable television programing."

"Fine, I'll get cable if it will make you happy."

"It will," Jack said and went back to watching an old hockey game.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

A few days later, after finishing up the paperwork required from their latest mission, Daniel met up with his professional movers who brought his stuff out from Chicago. He directed them where he wanted certain things to go and went about quickly seeing his place get set up.

So engrossed in organizing his new place, he was somewhat startled when he suddenly felt the familiar pounding sensation at the base of his skull. It felt somewhat annoyingly familiar.

"What do you want Connor?" Daniel nearly yelled, yanking open his door, his sword – a Jain, in his right hand.

"Hi there," the Scot rumbled, shoving his way into Daniel's apartment.

"Yeah, come on in. I don't mind. Really, make yourself at home," Daniel said exasperatedly, watching as the other Immortal threw himself on his couch and put his feet up on his coffee table. "Why are you here?"

"I tried losing her, but she always manages to find me. I don't want to go back home to New York and put Rachel in danger. So here I am," Connor smiled at his old, maybe-friend.

"Who is Rachel? Your wife?" Daniel asked tiredly, putting his sword down on his small kitchen table that was already covered in boxes and books.

"She is my adopted daughter."

"She know about you? Immortals?" Daniel asked, rubbing his hands

Connor nodded. "Yes. I took her in during World War II. She was away at school when we met. She is much older now, obviously, and knows about our kind, but she is getting frailer with each year and I don't want to put her in any unnecessary danger. This Cassandra woman would probably use Rachel to get to me and I will not have that. Do you have anything to drink?"

Daniel just stared at the other individual for a few seconds, trying to process everything. "I have water. I just moved into this place and haven't had time to go grocery shopping," he ground out. "How did you find me?"

Connor shrugged, smiling. "I called the gas company, told them I was you and was wanting to make sure that they had to correct address on file. The lady was very helpful."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Why are you here? I don't want to be involved in any of this. I have stuff I have to do, stuff that in no way involves Immortal problems. The people I work with have no idea, well, for the most part, that we exist and I want to keep it that way. I work for the Air Force. Your issues could out us to the government," Daniel said, trying not to have a hissy fit, but was failing spectacularly.

"I need to know more about this Cassandra. I tried to call Duncan to ask him, but I can't get ahold of him. She obviously knows you, so what do you know that can help me against her? How do you know her?" Connor asked, leaning forward on the sofa, looking up at Daniel with an earnest expression on his face.

Daniel sat down in a comfortable armchair across from Connor, took off his glasses, and rubbed his face with a hand. He felt a migraine coming on. "Her favored sword is an eighth century Frankish broadsword. She isn't bad with a sword, but she isn't great. She has the ability to hypnotize people with her voice or she can use a banshee like scream to stun her opponent," he recited from memory.

"How do you know her? You knew the Horsemen? You can't be that old. Your Quickening signature isn't that strong," Connor said, doubt in his eyes.

Danil slyly smiled at the youngster and released his hold on his Quickening, letting the Scot understand how old he actually was.

Connor's eyes went wide when the full strength of Daniel's Quickening was released.

"I'm old MacLeod. I was friends, sort of, with the Horsemen. Cassandra was a prisoner of theirs. She eventually escaped, but holds a crap load of resentment towards them and me because of shit that happened over three thousand years ago. A couple of years ago, your kinsman, with the help of the legendary Methos, stopped Kronos from reforming the Horsemen. They killed Kronos, Caspian, and Silas. From what I heard, Cassandra then wanted to kill Methos, but Duncan stopped her. And now, thanks to you and really bad luck, she knows I'm still around. She was raped by them a long time ago and has never forgiven any of them, and me, for what happened to her. I don't blame her entirely. We were not kind people to say the least. We did some pretty bad shit back in the day. What happened after the fight with Kronos, I don't know for sure. I've been out of the Immortal loop for over a year now. I took some time off from the Game," Daniel finished, looking world weary.

"I have to face her," Connor said, looking tired.

"Do you think you can take her? Can you fight with her trying to manipulate or distract you? Have you ever fought someone like her?" Daniel asked, concerned about the elder Highlander.

"I've fought plenty of Immortals, Daniel," Connor said, looking at him with a wry expression.

"But have you ever fought someone like her? Can you kill a woman and not let sexism prevent you from beheading one?" Daniel asked coldly.

Connor hesitated, which told Daniel plenty.

"The idea of a man needing to protect and defend a woman is a romanticism trope. Women are just as capable of defending themselves as a man," he explained, thinking specifically of Captain Carter and Dr. Janet Fraiser. "While they might not be as physically strong as a man, women are pretty resourceful and for an Immortal woman to survive as long as Cassandra, they have to be resilient. Don't think of her as a woman, but the same as any other Immortal."

"I don't like the idea of killing a woman," Connor confessed. While he was more flexible in his morality, he couldn't shake the ideal he had been brought up on over five hundred years prior.

"You aren't supposed to like the killing of anyone," Daniel pointed out. "If you do, that makes you a psychopath. There were times that I reveled in the idea of killing someone. I could use the excuse that I was kind of insane, but I still knew in the back of my mind that what I was doing was wrong. I didn't care though."

"Are you still like that?" Connor asked, looking carefully at the other Immortal across from him.

"No. I finally got my head screwed on straight. I will kill to defend my life or the life of a friend or loved one, but I don't revel in it like I used to. The hate I had was such a waste of time and energy. I was an idiot," he admitted. "However, I have known plenty of capable women who would have loved to kill me and I had to treat them the same as any man. Cassandra won't care how gallantly you feel towards women. She will kill you without hesitation. You need to respect that."

"Are you up to a little practice?" Connor asked, a bit slyly. He really wanted to see what Daniel was capable of when he wasn't hiding.

Daniel looked thoughtful. "You need to be ready and I have an idea on how to help you with that." With that, Daniel jumped up and retreated to his bedroom and grabbed an old portable CD player and a CD a co-worker had loaned to him the previous week. It was supposed to be a copy of an Etta James album; instead it was Eternal Tears of Sorrow, a Finnish death metal band. He had been meaning to return it to Airman Gibson, but kept forgetting to do so.

"I don't have an empty warehouse we can practice in, but Mueller State Park has several spots that would be ideal and isolated. I went there a few weeks back with Jack and it seems like it would do. Hope your shoes can withstand a bit of hiking," Daniel said, when he returned. He shrugged into an old sweat jacket and pulled on his battered hiking boots. "Let's go." His sword, he secreted in a hidden sleeve inside his jacket.

Connor shrugged and followed Daniel out the door and down to his car. It wasn't like he had anything better to do.

They drove west-ish of Colorado Springs, up 24 highway and then down 67 highway to the state park. They drove into the park area and eventually parked at the base of a trail and then, together, they hiked for a couple of miles until they reached a relatively isolated area, surrounded by aspen trees on all sides, protecting them from any prying eyes. Daniel, with his cd player in an old beat up back pack, would occasionally pick up rocks, smaller than his fist, but big enough to be noticed when they hit you.

While it had been quite some time since he had taken on a student, Roy Siler had been his last and that was just after World War II, couple that with the fact that Connor MacLeod was not a normal student, he knew that he had to prepare the man for a fight against Cassandra.

Once they were in the clearing, Daniel sat down on a rocky outcrop, not before dusting off a light amount of snow. It was October and snow was not unusual. He then had Connor go through any kata of his that he would like to do.

Connor shrugged and took off his coat. With his sword in hand, he began a series of katas he had learned a couple of centuries before. His Tachi Kata flowed smoothly, from series to the next. This wasn't something done to pass on to the next belt. This wasn't a chance to show the Masters what he had learned. This was a deadly and proficient dance designed to end someone's life.

Daniel was content to sit there and watch Connor for a little while. Watching the man's form and precision, he was impressed by how the other Immortal has progressed since their last meeting. While the moves hadn't changed all that much, the level of fluidity had increased.

After a while, Daniel threw one of his rocks at Connor, hitting him in the head.

"Hey!" Connor exclaimed, faltering in his exercise.

"Don't allow yourself to be distracted. Focus on what you are doing," Daniel advised, laughing slightly to himself. "Keep going."

Connor began again and again, Daniel hit him with another rock, this time striking him in the back.

"Seriously?" Connor grumbled.

"Yes seriously. I can't do Cassandra's banshee scream, so this is the best I've got. She will use it to freeze her opponent if they are not focused on what they are doing," Daniel said. "Again."

"I'm not a novice student that just woke up from their first death," Connor muttered, feeling a bit put out, not meaning for the older Immortal to hear his words.

Daniel heard him anyway. "I know, but have you ever faced an opponent that is like Cassandra?"

"Have you?" Connor shot back at Daniel.

Daniel smiled tiredly. "Yes and it wasn't easy. Now get back to work while I throw rocks at you.

This continued for a while longer, Daniel randomly throwing a rock at Connor, trying to knock him off his game. Eventually though, Connor managed to ignore several rocks hitting him in a row. Daniel figured the lesson must have sunk into the man.

At that point, Daniel stood up and stretched his arms and shook his legs out, trying to get the cold and stiff feelings out of his body. While he was immortal, that didn't prevent cramps from forming or getting cold.

Daniel got out his player, popped in the vile cd, and turned the volume way up. He also discreetly put in a pair of ear plugs. "Okay," he shouted over the music and screaming. "Let's see how you do while being distracted by noise."

With his sword in hand, Daniel set himself in front of Connor and mock-challenged him. While neither had an intent of decapitating the other, both had to take the situation seriously. This wasn't a sparring match between kids, where the worst thing to happen was a bloody lip or nose. This was a fight between two veteran Immortals.

They battled back and forth across the clearing. Their swords clanging together, ringing out in the crisp mountain air.

To add to the chaos that the music was causing, Daniel attempted to throw Connor more off his game by "speaking" to him over the noise. Connor, thinking Daniel was trying to tell him something important, let himself get distracted.

It was small, but it was enough to trip Connor up and Daniel was able to get inside his guard and rest his sword up against Connor's neck.

"Damn," Connor snarled.

At this, Daniel stepped back, muted the CD player, and took the earplugs out of his ears.

"Point number two: she will try to manipulate you with her Voice. Don't listen to her. Whatever she is saying, don't pay it any attention. Since I can't manipulate anyone with my words, despite what others may think, I figured that this method would prove my point," he said, grinning.

"What were you saying?" Connor asked, breathing heavily, slightly irritated at Daniel and himself.

"Nothing really. I was just cussing you out in three different languages," Daniel said brightly. "Let's go again." And with that, he put the ear plugs back in and started up the CD player. He really hated the music, hence the ear plugs.

This lasted for most of the afternoon. The two Immortals challenged and pushed each other as they fought one another in that field. A couple of time, Connor almost had Daniel, but would drive home a kick or punch at him unexpectedly. One time Daniel even pulled a secreted knife out on Connor.

Finally, when they both had enough they called it for the day. Connor then marched over to the player, popped out the CD, and snapped the disc in two. He swore that if he ever had to hear that god-awful noise again, someone was going to end up a head shorter.

"So what did you learn today grasshopper?" Daniel asked, somewhat cheerful.

"You're an asshole," Connor grumbled.

"I'm sure many others would agree with that statement," Daniel smiled tightly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "But did you learn anything else?" he asked patiently, like a good teacher.

"Don't listen to the crazy lady and don't be distracted," Connor breathed a heavy sigh.

Daniel nodded. "That is a start. Pick the time and place you want to fight her. You're old enough to know all of this. Have some earplugs on you at all times, too," he advised.

Soon after, they hiked out of the park and drove back to Daniel's place where MacLeod got into his car and drove off to parts unknown.

Daniel, standing by the front door of his building, briefly sensed another Immortal, but it quickly disappeared. Cassandra, Daniel assumed, shaking his head in annoyance. There was a part of him that wished she would challenge him instead. He felt no compunction to challenge her first; it all seemed pointless and a waste of energy, but if she wanted a fight, he would give her one.

He would have stood there, contemplating centuries of regret, but was interrupted by the shrill ringing of his cell phone. It was Jack.

"Hey Jack," Daniel said after flipping the phone open.

"We need you back at the base. I've been trying to call you all afternoon," Jack said, sounding exasperated.

"Sorry Jack. I was out at one of the state parks hiking with a friend."

"You have friends?" Jack said, his mouth speaking before his brain could catch up.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yes, I have friends. Connor is an old friend and was in the area. I'll be back on base as soon as possible. Is this an invasion of Earth is eminent or can I take a shower first kind of situation?"

Jack laughed. "No, we aren't being invaded, but Hammond is sending us on a mission. The computer spit out a new address and we are the only ones who aren't currently off world or injured. Hammond is trying to get more personnel added to the roster, but it takes time to find qualified people with the right level of clearance."

"Okay. See you soon then," Daniel said, hitting the end button, and then snapped the phone shut. Duty called.

* * *

A/N: Well, what do you think? Good, bad, indifferent. Feel free to hit the shiny review button and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading my stuff. I do appreciate it.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for a while, but they might end up a bit scuffed.

A/N: This takes place before Hathor, maybe after Torment of Tantalus. Also, I do not speak or understand the Akkadian language and dialects. I can't even diagram a sentence in English; there is no way I understand all of the nuances of such an ancient language, so please have some patience with me and accept that while what I write is in English, it is supposed to be in another language. I hope that makes sense.

* * *

Chapter 5

SG-1 had been off-world or stuck on base for a week. They went to an alien planet, met with the locals and made friends with them. It was a successful mission, one that didn't involve gunfire or them running for their lives. It was peaceful, which made it strange.

 _Will I become so jaded, where I will be more surprised that aliens aren't trying to kill us than aliens shooting at us?_ Daniel thought to himself as he pulled into his parking lot.

He climbed out of his car, collecting his belongings and trudging into the building. Daniel checked his mail and was too worn out to bother using the stairs like he normally did and actually rode the elevator to his floor. While no one had been actively trying to kill him and the team, the mission still taxed him. It was more of a mental exhaustion than anything physical.

The people of PX9-117, a mostly agricultural society, insisted that SG1 come to their art and musical productions. Basically, they had arrived during the planet's version of Woodstock, but without actually good art and music. There weren't even any good drugs to make the situation more bearable. When he had made a joke about the need for drugs to make the music bearable, Jack gave him a baleful look and reminded his subordinate about them being subject to random drug tests.

The people were without good taste and the music and Jack's bitching were grating. The only redeeming aspect of the whole visit was how nice the people were and the planet did produce some interesting plants that had a possible medicinal value. In exchange for their plants, they wanted music, which was easy to agree to and provide. Daniel did insist that Airman Gibson have nothing to do with selecting music for the people; his taste in music was too unpredictable and sometimes vile.

Daniel fumbled for his keys at his door, causing him to pause and notice a piece of paper tacked to the door. The writing, while not familiar, the language was. It was in Akkadian.

It took him a few moments to rummage around in his head for the ability to translate the ancient language:

Danil,

I was going to kill Connor, but killing you might spare his life. Meet me at the address below or I take his head and Quickening by the 25th of October.

Cassandra

The address was 2710 Gunnison Street and today was the 24th.

Daniel sighed and rubbed his eyes. There was a part of him that wished he could just ignore the note and not care. However, that wasn't who he was. Connor was a good person and he didn't deserve to get caught up in crazy Cassandra's need for revenge against him and Methos.

Having made up his mind, he threw his belongings down on the sofa, picked up his sword and his personal 9mm that he kept for more mundane threats, and went back out to his car. Something told him he might need it.

~SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1~

With a quick look at a map he had of the greater Colorado Springs area, he quickly found Gunnison, just off Platte Avenue, and drove to the area. It was a beat up industrial zone. The building looked like it had been a garage at one point but appeared to be abandoned now. There was a rusty fence surrounding the dirty blue and white building. Weeds were growing in the cracks of the pavement. Half of the windows were boarded over. The only thing that made him know that someone was in the building was the sensation of Connor's Quickening and someone else's. Cassandra, no doubt.

Daniel took a deep breath and steeled himself. He knew that this was going to not be fun. With that, he opened a rusty door, hating the loud groaning that the hinges made. It wasn't like they didn't know he had arrived with his Quickening signature alerting them, but now they knew exactly what direction he was coming from.

"Sorry I'm late honey," Daniel called out loudly as he walked in, "work ran over." He held his sword in his right hand and his left hand he held behind his back, near his belt line where he had shoved his gun before entering the building.

The garage bay was empty, save some discarded car parts, chains, and MacLeod, dirty and his head bloody but still securely attached to his body, tied up on a chair, with two men, mortals, standing near-by with machetes.

Cassandra, stood in the middle of the room, her stringy hair wild and a slightly insane look on her face. Her clothes, a long brown skirt and matching shirt, looked wrinkled and slightly stained.

"Have you totally lost your mind Cassandra? This is Duncan MacLeod's kinsman. He will not be happy that you kidnapped his relative. If you kill Connor, Duncan will show you no mercy," Daniel said, gesturing slightly with his sword, sounding like a disappointed teacher.

"Duncan made his choice when he spared Methos from what he deserved," she snarled.

"So who are your lackeys? Watchers you managed to influence and corrupt? How are they going to explain this to their bosses?"

Cassandra smiled a decidedly unfriendly smile, more of a baring of teeth, and laughed. "Like you care about anyone besides yourself. Your kind is incapable to caring about another."

"My kind?" Daniel asked, stalling for time as he positioned himself closer to Connor and his guards.

"The Horsemen. You rode with them, spreading their misery and poison across three continents. You took what you wanted, killed everyone in your path, never caring about anyone other than yourselves," she snarled, pacing across the floor, working herself into a frenzy, with her sword in hand.

Daniel shrugged. "That is true. There is no denying it," he simply said. "We were assholes, but I stopped doing that kind of thing long ago. I moved on."

"How many people, women, have you lied to over the centuries, letting them think you were this sweet and kind being who wouldn't hurt a fly?" Cassandra raged. "Did you ever tell them how cruel you were, how you murdered the innocent just because they were in your way or that you were bored? You will always be Hades. It is in your nature and give it time, you'll go back to your old ways. When you were lying with your last wife, did you ever tell her how you raped and slaughtered your way through the land with your brothers by your side?"

Danil looked at the witch coldly. "It was a long time ago. There is nothing I can do to change what happened." While he was wearing the clothes and glasses of Daniel Jackson, untucked blue flannel shirt and khaki cargo pants, his stance and the icy look in his eyes were pure Danil.

Without warning, he pulled his gun from his belt and shot the two men that were standing close to Connor, preventing them from harming the Immortal.

Cassandra screamed in rage and flew at Danil, her sword raised high.

Danil met her strike with his own sword, the metal clashing. The two Immortals fought back and forth, driven by different goals, but still fought with ferocity. Swiping and slashing at each other, the two killers clashed, intent on ending the other's life. Blocking hits, taking blows that were meant to end the fight, they battled across the dirty cement floor of the garage. Sparks arced between the swords as the Immortals as they struck each other.

Both of them fought with everything they had. Cassandra even tried her banshee scream, hoping to freeze Danil, even if for a second, to give her enough time to end the fight and take his head. Danil though, ignored the scream, never faltering in his fight for his and Connor's lives.

Their moves were as graceful as those in a ballet, but far more deadly.

Danil suddenly tripped slightly, stumbling, over a discarded hose, losing his steadiness on his feet. Cassandra, seeing that Daniel was slightly unbalanced, ran at him and shoved her sword at his midsection, intending to impale him, ending his time in the fight.

Danil, caught himself before Cassandra could stab him, spun to the right, moving just out of her range. He redirected his swing, bringing it back towards Cassandra, much like a baseball player knocking one out of the park, severing her head from her body.

The body collapsed where it stood, the head bounced and rolled away. Cassandra's face was frozen in shock and surprise. Her losing was the last thing she expected.

Mist began to rise from the body, creeping its way across the floor towards Danil. Lightning exploded, Cassandra's Quickening left her body and found a new home in Danil.

He screamed in pain and victory. Centuries of experience, strength, and power transferred to him, overwhelming his senses. Danil could see Cassandra's life, how she suffered and made others suffer. He saw her madness and her anger towards the Horsemen. He saw how she never allowed herself to see the beauty and wonder of the world that was all around her, how she held on to her hatred of those that had wronged her. All she knew was vengeance, and now that knowledge was a part of Danil.

Danil didn't know how long the actual Quickening lasted, but it seemed to go on for an eternity. His throat felt raw from screaming. Every cell in his body seemed to be on fire. His very bones felt as if they had been ripped out of his frame, crushed by a herd of elephants and unmercifully shoved back into his body.

The windows that still had glass in their frames had been shattered and the boards that had been nailed over had been blown out. Spots of oil on the floor were on fire.

Soon he found himself on his knees, the Quickening lightning storm having passed, sobbing for what had happened to Cassandra. She had deserved better and he had failed her.

"Excuse me," came an unexpected voice. Daniel had forgotten about Connor.

"If you could put your girly crying on hold and get me out of these ropes, I'd appreciate it," the Scot sarcastically said.

Daniel laughed, despite of what was going on in his head. "I might feel inclined to leave you there, jackass," he said, but quickly cut through the bindings that kept Connor in place. "How long has she had you?"

Connor sighed. "A week maybe. What kept you?"

Daniel looked sincerely contrite. "I just got home today and found the note. I've been on a miss – um…out of town for the Air Force since I last saw you and we finally were cleared to come home today."

The other Immortal sighed. "Well, you had another day to go before she killed me, so I can't be too upset. Plus, you did kill the crazy chick in the end."

"What do you want done with these guys?" Daniel asked, grateful that both men, while wounded, were not in danger of losing their lives. He had hit them both in non-vital areas.

Connor gave Daniel a half smile. "I'll take care of them. Cassandra used her Voice to get them to do what she wanted. This wasn't their fault," he then muttered something about damn snooping Watchers. "Go on, get out of here. I'll see you around Daniel. Thank you."

Daniel shrugged. "I'm sorry you got caught up in my crap."

With that, the two Immortals parted, each going on with their lives.

* * *

A/N: Well, what do you think? Good, bad, indifferent. Feel free to hit the shiny review button and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading my stuff. I do appreciate it.


	6. Epilogue

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for a while, but they might end up a bit scuffed.

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Epilogue

Weeks had passed. Missions were assigned and completed. Daniel had even been incorrectly labeled as K.I.A., killed in action, on a trip to a watery planet where he had been mind-probed by an alien. The only two good things that came out of that incident was that some of his vanished memories were jarred loose and that his apartment got cleaned up by his team. He really appreciated them cleaning out his refrigerator. There had been a few things in there that were moving on their own and having babies in the back of the appliance. It was a little scary.

Daniel hadn't heard from Connor in all that time, which was fine with him. He wasn't expecting to hear from the guy. He didn't need a card or a fruit basket to show his appreciation for having saved his life. He was happy knowing that Cassandra was gone for good and that Connor was able to live for another day.

He did meet his Watcher though. Harris was a pretty good guy and they worked it out that Daniel would tell him a few juicy tales from his past as long as he kept what they did under the mountain a secret from the Watchers. He even threw in a promise of telling the Watcher about what had happened to Cassandra.

Another surprise was Roy Siler, his old student, showing up at the SGC. He was now Master Chief Roy Siler, still using the same name he originally had been given, of the United States Air Force. It really was a small world after all, as the song went.

 _Next thing you know_ , he thought to himself as he changed from his BDUs back into his civilian clothes, _Methos will show up unexpectedly on my front step and drink all of my beer._

"Hey Danny, you up for some team bonding? Teal'c has never seen Star Wars and I thought I would show it to him," Jack called out, slamming his locker door shut.

Daniel smiled. "Sure Jack, sounds like a plan."

He knew, somehow, that the next few years were going to be interesting, to say the least. However, he was definitely back in the saddle of the Game.

The end

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A/N: Thank you for reading my story. I want to especially thank WhiteElfElder, Guest, Dreugan Lady, and everlovin. Even if you didn't leave a review, but just read the story, thank you to you too. You took the time to do and I appreciate it. Also, as always, a big thank you to Lori.

So, in the meantime. feel free to hit the shiny review button and let me know what you think. I also appreciate getting ideas for future installments to this universe (I'm looking at you WhiteElf Elder).


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